XX-level Hokage

The larger portion is hers, and the smaller portion is for Saito, who is immortal.

The immortal vine, observing from the sidelines, lingered its gaze on her hand for a couple of seconds before speaking, "Have you noticed something?" "What?"

"We don't have a second pair of chopsticks!"

"Ah, that's easy to solve." Mashiro smiled upon hearing this. "After one person finishes eating, the other person can use it." Since she had only decided to cook lunch on a whim, she hadn't prepared any tableware.

"So, who goes first?" Saito Immortal asked. "I'll go first, I eat fast!"

"How about we go together? If you don't mind." "I mind."

"Oh, then I'll go first." Seemingly oblivious to politeness, Mashiro devoured her food in a flash. Saito, seemingly immortal, looked somewhat helpless.

She strongly suspected that Mashiro was trying to get her attention! Otherwise, why would someone who usually went along with her be so nice to her one minute and mean the next?! Only this could explain it! She was actually playing hard to get... Her gaze lingered on Mashiro.

Even with her staring at him like that, Mashiro's appetite didn't seem to be affected at all. No... it was even better.

At that moment, Saito, who was immortal, remembered what Makoto had said to him at the dinner table a couple of days earlier.

She couldn't remember the exact words, but the gist was that seeing her made her happy, and even ordinary food tasted delicious.

Mashiro, who was eating with her cheeks puffed out like a hamster, would have cried out in protest if she knew Saito's immortal thoughts after finishing her meal. "Alright, you can eat now." Mashiro handed over her chopsticks after finishing her meal, then paused and added, "There's no sink around here, so I can't wash your chopsticks for you."

She would certainly have been willing to provide extra chopsticks, but there weren't any available. Saito, the immortal, paused for a moment, but still accepted the chopsticks.

If you mind, then eat from the other end. "Mashiro meant well, but in Saito's immortal ears, it just didn't taste right."

No, no, no… something just doesn’t feel right! Saito, who was immortal, seriously recalled his conversation with Mashiro from this morning until now.

Something just doesn't feel right:

But Saito, who ultimately couldn't figure anything out, remained immortal and chose to watch Kaiko eat.

Since she couldn't guess Mashiro's intentions, she couldn't do things the way she originally planned. Mashiro was startled; to be honest, this was somewhat unexpected.

However, Mashiro didn't care too much. After all, her only goal was to get Saito, who was immortal, used to her closeness.

Now it seems that getting close to the immortal Saito is much easier than getting close to himself. Thinking of this, Mamoru started playing with the pebbles in his hand.

Saito, who was neither old nor dead, was chewing slowly to the side and seemed to be paying a little attention to the commotion beside him.

Mashiro really has a childlike heart; she always seems like a little kid, even though she's so smart.

"Hey, Captain Saito, how about going shopping this afternoon?" Mashiro asked as soon as Saito finished eating. "Continue training." In contrast, Saito simply shook his head in refusal.

The war between the Shinigami and the Quincy is still ongoing, and their departure for the battlefield is drawing ever closer. If it weren't for the need for more detailed intelligence, they would have already set off.

"But we've been training for so many days... Hey, Saito-neechan, let's go out and play together, please." Mashiro clung to Saito's immortal arm, pleading with a blank expression.

Upon hearing Mashiro's words, Saito Immortal was momentarily stunned.

...Since her death, no one has called her "sister" anymore, except for Zhenzi.

Although she always felt that Zhenbai's intentions were impure, this person did indeed act coquettishly towards her and fulfilled her wish to be called "sister".

Saito, who was immortal and ageless, was embraced warmly by Mashiro. Her frozen heart stirred slightly upon feeling the unfamiliar warmth. Before she could express her feelings further, Mashiro released her.

The sun isn't too strong around 3 PM, but it can get a bit hot if you hold the cow for too long.

Mashiro, stroking her chin, thought for a moment before continuing, "It's a good place, just follow me... I hope it won't bore me." "Immortal Saito said coldly.

"Ah, just walking around is pretty boring. How about we play a game to make it more fun?...What game?"

"Shadow-stepping game." Mashiro smiled and pointed to the ground. "See the shadows on the ground? From now on, anyone who steps outside the shadow area..."

Then you're the loser.

"...Childish. Even elementary school students wouldn't play this kind of game anymore." Saito, who was immortal, had never played it, but that didn't stop her from understanding after hearing it.

"Is Saito-neechan afraid of losing to me?"

"...A low-level provocation." This was the assessment of Saito Immortal, who looked around.

They were on the street now, surrounded by shops of all kinds. Finding a place to put their shadows wasn't difficult; the real challenge was getting out of this area. "Want to race me?" Mashiro asked again.

After observing the surroundings, the immortal Saito turned his attention back to her. "Although it's a very low-level challenge, I've accepted." This was an opportunity for her!

This would not only dampen Zhenbai's arrogance but also demonstrate her strength. Therefore...

The competition has begun.

The journey through the neighborhood went relatively smoothly, as there were buildings everywhere that provided shadows. However, after traveling for a while, the number of places where shadows could fall decreased.

The two, who initially maintained a certain distance, began to occasionally touch because their shadows were too small. Saito, who was immortal, felt this wouldn't do, so he started to act before Mashiro could.

Shadows change depending on the light.

The shadow that was there a second ago may be gone the next!

Saito, who had found a new shadow standing in front of the alley, turned his head and looked behind him.

Just as she expected, a small shadow disappeared, and Mashiro stopped in front of the shadow that had preceded her. "It's okay to give up now."

"No, I think we can wait a bit~" Shinjiro smiled and pointed.

Following the direction she was pointing towards, Saito, who was immortal, saw a wooden palanquin loaded with goods.

"Could it be that you..." Before she could utter the word "could it be," Mashiro leaped over to her side, using the shadow of the passing palanquin as it moved. "With such a large jump, wouldn't the landing be a little unsteady?" the immortal Saito thought to himself.

Before she could react, Mashiro, who was running alongside her, had pulled her from the alley entrance into the alley. "Haha, looks like we're tied," Mashiro said with a laugh.

Saito Immortal paused for a moment, then a smile appeared on her lips. "Yes, it seems we're tied."

Chapter 30: Red Bean Dumplings

In that narrow alleyway, steeped in history, the mottled walls seemed to tell stories of the past, while the occasional sounds of commotion drifted from afar.

This adds a vibrant backdrop to the tranquil space.

Sunlight, like fine threads, slanted down from the alley entrance, stretching the long, ageless shadows of Mashiro and Saito. Their shadows intertwined and overlapped on the ground, as if silently witnessing this extraordinary moment.

Mashiro lightly brushed the dust off her clothes, a sly smile playing on her lips. "It seems this game is even more interesting than we imagined." Her eyes gleamed with a sense of challenge, as if she couldn't wait to face the next challenge.

Saito Immortal raised an eyebrow slightly, a subtle smile playing at the corners of his lips, a smile that held both confidence and curiosity about the unknown: "Is that so?"

"Then you'd better watch out, I won't hold back from what comes next." Her voice was deep and magnetic, making one involuntarily want to listen.

Mashiro shrugged, a fearless smile on her face: "Come on, I won't be defeated by you so easily." Her tone was relaxed and confident, as if she was ready to face any challenge.

As their eyes met again, a silent game quietly began. This time, they were no longer content with simply chasing each other's shadows. Instead, they began to cleverly utilize every corner of the alley, every stone slab, and even the shadows cast by the occasional clouds and birds in the sky, paving the way for their progress with endless surprises and possibilities.

Saito Immortal, with his keen insight and outstanding reflexes, repeatedly escaped danger, each time leaving everyone in awe. Meanwhile, Mashiro, with her wit and agility, constantly created trouble for Saito Immortal, filling the game with laughter and excitement. The two weaved and leaped through the alleyways, as if performing a silent dance, every movement brimming with power and beauty, captivating the audience.

As time passed, the sun gradually slanted westward, and the light in the alley became soft and warm. The two shadows stretched long in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Shortening and then lengthening, it seems to be telling the story of the passage of time and its beauty.

Just then, Mashiro suddenly stopped and pointed to a corner ahead, saying, "Look, there's a new shadow over there." Her voice was filled with surprise and anticipation, as if she could already see the dawn of victory.

Following Mashiro's finger, Saito, who was neither old nor dead, saw a corner bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. There, a small figure waited quietly for them to arrive. A cunning glint flashed in her eyes, as if she had found an opportunity to retaliate.

"Looks like I'm going to win this round," Mashiro said confidently, a victorious smile spreading across her face. However, Saito Immortal smiled slightly and said, "That's not necessarily true." As she spoke, she suddenly took a step forward, cleverly using a disappearing shadow to instantly shorten the distance between herself and Mashiro.

Seeing this, Mashiro hurriedly stepped back, but accidentally stepped on a loose stone slab, instantly losing her balance. Saito Immortal reacted quickly, grabbing Mashiro's arm and helping her up steadily. The two looked at each other, a hint of surprise and embarrassment flashing in their eyes, but it was quickly replaced by smiles.

"Th-thank you," Mashiro said somewhat shyly, a blush creeping onto her face.

Teng Bulao Bu Si nodded gently and said, "It's alright, let's continue." Her tone was full of gentleness and encouragement, making Zhen Bai feel an unprecedented warmth and strength.

Saito, who was immortal, looked at Mashiro's smiling face and felt a complex mix of emotions.

She initially thought the game was just a small trap set by Mashiro to get closer to her, but she never expected that Mashiro would actually manage to tie the game with her wit and agility.

"Mashiro, you really surprised me," Saito Immortal said calmly, with a hint of barely perceptible admiration in his tone.

"Hehe, Saito-neechan, you flatter me." Mashiro remained all smiles, as if the intense "shadow-stepping game" had been nothing more than a piece of cake for her. "However, you'd better watch out now." Saito, seemingly immortal, suddenly changed the subject, a sharp glint in her eyes. "I won't keep letting you have your way forever."

"Oh? Then I'll be waiting to see." Mashiro raised an eyebrow, seemingly full of anticipation for Saito's challenge of immortality.

The two continued walking forward, and the light in the alley gradually dimmed, with only a few rays of sunlight shining through the gaps in the roof onto the ground.

Mashiro noticed that Saito, who was immortal, seemed very familiar with the environment, and she couldn't help but feel curious. "Saito-neechan, you seem to know this place very well?" Mashiro asked with a light laugh.

"Yes, I used to come here often." Saito, the immortal, nodded, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "There are many interesting places here, and lots of delicious food."

Oh? For example? "Mashiro became interested in Saito's immortal past."

"For example, that old-established dessert shop over there is famous for its red bean dumplings," Saito said, pointing to a small shop not far ahead.

"Red bean dumplings?" Mashiro was slightly taken aback. She hadn't expected Saito Immortal to mention such a traditional sweet.

“Yes, red bean soup with glutinous rice balls.” Saito, the immortal, smiled. “Mashiro, would you like to try some? It tastes really good.”

Mashiro initially wanted to refuse, as she didn't particularly like sweets, but seeing the expectant look in Saito's eyes, she finally nodded. "Alright, I'll give it a try."

The two entered the small shop, where the owner, an elderly woman over fifty, immediately smiled kindly upon seeing Saito enter. "Saito-chan, it's been a long time!" the old woman greeted warmly.

"Yes, Grandma Sachiko, it's been a long time." Saito Immortal replied with a smile, his expression miraculously becoming peaceful. "I brought a friend here today to try your red bean dumplings."

"Okay, just a moment, it'll be ready soon." The old lady said, turning around to prepare. A short while later, two steaming bowls of red bean soup with glutinous rice balls were served.

Looking at the plump, round glutinous rice balls in the bowl, Zhenbai picked one up and put it in her mouth. The sweet but not greasy red bean paste and the soft and chewy glutinous rice ball skin blended together in her mouth, and the taste was indeed very good.

“Saito-neechan, you’re right, this tastes really good.” Mashiro smiled slightly.

"Hehe, I knew it." Saito, the immortal being, chuckled smugly. "The red bean dumplings here were my favorite when I was a kid." "Looks like you came here quite a bit when you were little," Mashiro said softly.

“Yes, I would come here whenever I had free time back then.” Saito Immortal nodded, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. “I was an orphan when I was a child. I finally escaped from Rukongai to Seireitei, but I had no money and couldn’t afford to eat. Back then, only Aunt Sachiko was willing to let me eat her family’s red bean dumplings for free.”

Looking at Saito's immortality, Mashiro suddenly felt a surge of inexplicable emotion. She realized that although Mashiro was very old, she had experienced a great deal.

But rarely, in a sense, she is still a loveless child pretending to be an adult.

Chapter Thirty-One: Shopping

"Saito-neechan, have you ever thought about what you would do if everything ended one day?" Mashiro asked suddenly after finishing the last dumpling in her bowl.

"Is it all over?" Saito Immortal was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Mashiro to ask such a question.

“Yes, it’s all over. The Gotei 13 has taken control of the entire Soul Society.” Mashiro nodded. “Back then, Captain, what kind of life did you want to live?”

Saito, who was immortal, remained silent for a while, seemingly deep in thought about the question.

"This... I can't answer that." Saito Immortal shook her head slightly. In a sense, she didn't actually know what she wanted to do.

Overthrowing the rule of the four noble families? Establishing a new order for Soul Society? These were merely Saito's thoughts after she became immortal and followed Yamamoto, but she herself was unclear about her own desires.

"And what about you, Mashiro?" Saito, the immortal, looked at Mashiro and asked in return.